Sep 22

The Blue Dots Top Ten Android Apps

By AndroidMan Uncategorized No Comments »

It’s safe to say Google’s Android is no longer new to the cell phone scene, which is quite obvious by the sheer amount of apps at everyones finger tips. With so many applications available, many for free, it can be a bit overwhelming choosing which app is best for you. There are countless calender, weather and text apps out there, but which one does the job for you? Sometimes the best way to find out is to just download it yourself and give it a try, but who wants to try a dozen map apps before finding the one that you like? Well, we’re here to help narrow the search down for you! Here are our top ten Android apps available on the Droid Market place.

1. Google Maps

Sometimes the best apps are made by the very company that created the Android OS. This is one of those cases. Google Maps has, by far, the best free turn by turn directions available.  You’re able to look up traffic updates, overlay businesses (such as gas stations), update instantly when making a wrong turn and even attempts to keep you updated when losing your GPS signal. Although we would probably like another voice option for the turn by turn directions, it’s free! With so many options there isn’t much to complain about once you consider the price (or lack there of).

2. Facebook for Android

Though it is still missing some options it’s website counterpart has, this app is a must have for any social media nut. News feeds, messages and even chat are all included in this easy to use application. It loads much quicker than using facebook in your phones browser, not to mention it’s news feed is a bit more user friendly. Especially after facebooks most recent “update” to their site. Staying connected to your friends is made real easy with this app.

3. Kik Messaging

Kik isn’t just available for the Android. iPhone and even Blackberry have access to this wonderful text messaging app. But what makes this app better than the built in text messaging program? It seems like such a simple addition, but the ability to see that your message was delivered and read is amazing. Not only do you now know when someone receives your text, you also know they read it. So if you’re someplace quiet and can’t give someone a ring, you’ll know they got the message that just couldn’t wait.

4. Google Goggles

Here’s Google again with another amazing app. Recently I had a picture of a cartoon character I couldn’t quite remember. It was on the tip of my tongue and was driving me crazy. With one simple click of the Google goggles app it was able to find a picture match and tell me exactly who it was and where it was from. Goggles gives you the power of the internet in the real world, giving you the ability to search for almost anything you can get a clear picture of.

5. Reddit is Fun

Reddit’s popularity can’t be ignored, especially over this past year. So an easy to use and read application was only inevitable. Reddit is Fun is both quick, simple and easy on the eyes. Mirroring Reddit’s bare bones layout, it simply lists all the top stories currently on the front page, and more. With the ability to sign in and have your front page settings imported to this handy app, it’s the perfect time waster for moments when you’re stuck waiting somewhere for any amount of time. Be warned though, Reddit is incredibly addictive.

6. My fitness Pal

Working out is hard and dieting is even harder. My Fitness Pal is the prefect app for someone who wants to lose weight and loves graphs. Simply make an account, enter your weight and height, and your adventure begins. With it’s built in calorie counter, keeping track of what foods you eat and what foods you shouldn’t eat, couldn’t be easier. By entering your weight everyday you can keep track of what works for you. Are you working out enough? Maybe you’re eating too much on Saturdays. This app can show you that and more!

7. Craigslist Notification

Are you looking for a new job? Maybe you’re on the go and can’t be by a computer at all hours scouring the internet for jobs or sales. This craigslist app is the best in keeping track of new and old posts for anything and everything on the site. The greatest feature is its updating filter system. If you’re looking for a job with a certain pay, or specialty, you can enter keywords into a search and it will update for you the moment something new comes up. Be the first on the scene at a big sale, or be the first to hand in a resume at your next big job. This app will keep you updated and in the know when it comes to local listings. This app should also be available on the iPhone and Blackberry.

8. Swype

This app has two camps, either you love it or you hate it. Androids keyboard works well enough, but sometimes it’s just not fast enough for someone in a hurry. Swype enables the ability to… swipe, your finger along your keyboard connecting the letters and spelling out the words quickly and efficiently.  At first it can be clumsy and difficult to use, but once you get the hang of it you’ll be texting faster than you ever have before. Over time the app learns your most commonly used words, such as peoples names, and includes them into the swype dictionary. I use this app everyday and can be counted into the “love” camp.

9. Youtube for Android

Technically another Google app, this app makes searching and watching youtube videos easier than ever. Androids built in browser is great for general use, but like the reddit app, youtube’s app makes using their site much easier. As long as you have 3G you can watch videos in excellent quality, or watch them in full quality by linking to a wifi. Of course, all TheBlueDot review videos can be watched on this app, which you can also watch on the iPhone and windows phones since this app is also available on those platforms.

10. Pandora

This app is available on the Android, iPhone, Blackberry and Windows phones, but that doesn’t make it any less of a must have for music lovers (or comedy lovers with the new “todays comedy” channel). It’s simplistic design makes it easy to make new channels and see the beautiful artwork of every album cover. The only feature missing in this app is the details description of the bands and their music, but this application is really meant to be listened to on the go anyway. Even if you lose signal, Pandora buffers the audio ahead of what you’re listening to. So you have a few more minutes of your song before it cuts out (subways may not be the best place to use this app).

 

We hope this helped narrow down your quest for the best applications the Android phones have to offer. If you don’t have an Android phone, as mentioned above, many of these applications are also available on iPhones, Windows and Blackberry phones. All of these phones are available on our online store at TheBlueDot.

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Oct 27

Cell Phone Incident During Florida Debate

By Chris Samaras Phones In The News No Comments »

Open your newspaper, log onto your news website; check your news on your refurbished Blackberry or Android phone. Regardless of how you get your news, you are sure to see negative stories that involve cell phones. Some are about the cleanliness of phones, others the “bill shock” associated with receiving your monthly statement, while many others consider the dangers of using your phone while driving. On Monday, cell phone issues made their way into politics. Continue reading »

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Oct 06

New York Subway to Get T-Mobile AT&T Phone Service

By Chris Samaras Interesting Phone Stuff No Comments »

Who has the better apps? Who has the better maps?  Who has the better phones? Verizon and AT&T, the two powerhouse cell phone providers, constantly try to find ways to one up each other. A recent development paints the picture that AT&T has taken the next big step.

After a three-year delay, Transit Wireless, LLC announced in July it had secured the financing needed to build a network that would allow for cell phone service in all 277 New York City subway stations. AT&T, along with T-Mobile, have each signed 10-year agreements to gain access to this new network. Continue reading »

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Oct 06

Cell Phone Etiquette – A Guide

By Chris Samaras Uncategorized No Comments »

Turn of your cell phone

We all know at least a handful of people who think they are the only person using  their phone when the whole world stands around them. So many people do not show common courtesy and basic etiquette when using their cell phones. Wouldn’t it be great if more people showed a little respect when using their phones when other people are around them? Everyone and their mom has a cell phone anymore. The average age of a person receiving their first phone is only 8 years old. The problem is there is no class to teach people how to use their phones properly.

Here are some things to avoid while using your cell phone:

1. Overbearing ringtones - We all know at least one person who has a ringtone that makes your ears bleed. That sound that just makes you want to jump off a bridge. The ringtone that makes the most annoying sounds in the world almost enjoyable. Their should be a law around the use of annoying ringtones. Some are straight up offensive, others are straight up annoying. Why do people feel the need to play an entire song when someone calls them? Isn’t that what Mp3 players are for?

2. Answering your phone during in a movie – I am not sure if this happens anywhere except my local theatres, but it seems like almost every time I am in a theatre lately – there is “that guy” who answers their phone in the middle of a movie. I mean come on! Did you not notice the hundreds of other people around? If you are one of these people you should be banned from using your phone entirely!

3. Yelling at your phone – Maybe some people just do not realize that they are screaming into their phone while talking to the person on the other end. Microphones have improved greatly since the original Motorola DynaTac phone. Noise cancellation technology has really come a long way. If you are a screamer who is reading this – please consider the people around you when screaming at your device.The other person can hear when talking at a normal voice. Just because you can not hear them does not mean they can not hear you. Otherwise – call them back.

4. Paying more attention to your phone than your friends – Ok, so I am guilty as charged here but I am working hard on kicking my bad habit. This is one that a lot of us can relate to, especially if you are rocking a blackberry smartphone or other similar device. They do not call Blackberry’s, Crackberry’s for any ol’ reason. They somehow manage to come out of your pocket even when you try so hard to keep them put away. I have to say – there is nothing more annoying than when the person I am hanging out with is on their phone the entire time I am with them. I want to take their phone and throw it out a window. The first part of realizing you have a problem – is acknowledging your addiction. I have started my path to recovery – have you?

5. Driving while txting – It is said that at any given moment in time at least 3% of drivers on the road are txting while driving. Kind of scary when you think about it. This is another guilty as charged – rule I break more often than not. It is another – habit / addiction of my Blackberry that I am working at overcoming. There is nothing scarier than being in a car with someone txting with both hands and using their knee to steer their car. As more people move towards a smartphone I am sure the percentage of people txting while driving will only increase. Hopefully, at some point in the near future cars will drive on their own. Until then – please consider the other peoples lives you are putting in danger while txting behind the wheel.

I am sure we can all name many others things to avoid when using your cell phone, and I am sure I will have another guide to follow. Please consider these 5 things to avoid next time any of these 5 circumstances arise. We can all make the world a better place by spreading the word about cell phone etiquette and applying the rules mentioned above.

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Sep 23

Mini Cell Phone Towers and the Future of Mobile Apps

By phonemanandy Phones In The News No Comments »

A strange thing happened on the way to a Technology Review keynote the other day. Four like-minded panelists unveiled their favorite gadgets; and before you jump to any conclusions, it was neither the iPad nor the super-awesome new iPod Touch (which I prefer to call the iPad Mini).

No–as it turns out each one of the panelists exhibited varying portable base stations used to boost wireless signals.

It’s no surprise that we’re aggravating ourselves toward a mentality of instant gratification and southern-style “demanding” of “satisfaction,” however, how many of us would go the extra step to further clutter our already massively cluttered landscape and rooftop scenes with more towers and machinery? All of us? That’s correct.

Wi-Fi and signal strength can be very unforgiving and frustrating for anyone who is used to enjoying rapid-paced internet and phone service in their equally rapid-paced Starbuck’s-fueled lives. One moment we’re enjoying the unprecedented speed of a mobile application for…well…let’s say…the iPod Touch, or any cell phone. The next minute you’re lost in an unrelenting sea of No Service. Sure, you could stand outside of a coffee shop, desperately pacing back and forth trying to pick up their signal, or you could introduce yourself to the Future.

Actually, we’re already there…and we might be able to un-clutter our landscapes and rooftops at the same time. Qualcomm’s senior vice president unveiled a portable femtocell base station that generates a signal over a 10 meter radius–and it’s about the size of a TV remote.

Imagine these bad boys simply planted around the city, or office, hidden in plants or trees, scattered about public parks, and now imagine them to have almost limitless signal strength and reach for miles and miles. OK, now you’re dreaming too big…for now.

The corporate head honchos expect to see a gigantic spike in cell phone use over the next five years. Alice White, a vice president at Bell Labs, expects that 40% of phones will be smart phones simultaneously running any number of apps, and if something is not done to prepare for that kind of usage, consumers will be tearing out their hair–so to speak.

The wheels are in motion to begin planting these portable cell phone towers in key areas. If no power source is nearby, the devices can be rigged to run on solar power. Mmm…green.

If all goes according to plan, we will inevitably see a huge increase in the ability to view, create, and share large multimedia files with ease and peace of mind. According to a CEO at Sprint, “Wireless has been the fastest adopted technology in history. There are more cell phones in use today than TVs, PCs and cars combined.”

Femtocells are designed to fill in “coverage holes” that often occur in homes and small businesses, Jonathan Segel, executive director of Alcatel-Lucent’s CTO Group, noted during his EmTech presentation Wednesday about mobile apps. In addition, he pointed out that cities have begun to turn to “metro cells” (which provide a range of several kilometers…okay now you can start dreaming big again) to offload data traffic in densely populated areas.

The trend over time is for mobile phone cells to continue to shrink while providing better service to wireless users. “Because your phone isn’t having to shout [to reach a cell tower], your battery life is better,” according to Rupert Baines, vice president of marketing for picoChip, a maker of chips used in femtocells. “If the signal doesn’t have to go too far you’ll get better quality, you’re covering less people with each base station and each person is getting more capacity.” PicoChip recently introduced a new processor designed to boost even small portable base station signals so they can be used in a variety of public spaces, including shopping malls and airports.

Sources: Scientific American | e! Science News

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Aug 26

8 Fun Features on Blackberry 6 OS

By phonemanandy Cell Phone Reviews, Interesting Phone Stuff No Comments »

RIM’s Blackberry SmartPhones have been pushed around long enough. The capabilities of market giants like Droid and iPhone are gathering appeal at a steady rate across the board and this is pulling customers away left and right. Every piece of technology from MP3 players to Computers are now being shrunken down to pocket-sized devices and there are a lot to choose from. Certain phones are big for those interested in games and media, but others try to hit the social networking niche.

Blackberry has just released its latest operating system for its new devices and, well, let’s just say they’re doing everything they possibly can to keep up. Here are 8 key features of the new OS 6. These are some features you will be able to utilize on your Blackberry SmartPhones

1. Universal Search–Much like the iPhone‘s Spotlight search system, a visit to the “Address Book” is no longer necessary. Simply type in a name and the new OS will gather results from your Phone Book, Media, Apps, etc.

2. Enhanced Playback–Album Art and Info can now be viewed on an interactive media carousel to flick casually through albums and navigate in a more fluid manner (rather than point and click from endless lists).

3. Social Networking Feeds–Are you such a hardcore networking fiend that it becomes a hassle going back and forth to Twitter, Facebook, and whatever else you use? The Blackberry 6 fixes that with a a social activity generator that will merge Facebook and Twitter with your Events and Calendar to make for easy planning, communicating, and invitations.

4. RSS Feeds–Blog rolls and web feeds become as easy as a flick of the finger. Simply key in the web address you’d like to follow and choose your favorite feeds. It’s all right there with no data entry or tedious searching.

5.Visual/Fluid Interface–The interface for the new OS may just be the most appealing part. Utilizing floating tiles and optimal screen space, the new interface keeps all interactivity feel fluid and organic.

6. Blackberry Messenger–Yes, Blackberry Messenger has always been a feature that many people can take or leave, but Blackberry 6 takes it up a notch to create a clear and sharp interface with multiple media options. Definitely a must have for communicating with other Blackberry users quickly and effectively.

7.Simultaneous Postings–There are plenty of extra apps and computer programs that do this job fairly well, but Blackberry 6 OS takes care of all posting for you. One status update may (if you wish) update every social networking app that you use–a nifty, time-saving trick.

8. Awesome Web Browser (finally)–Yes, it’s been a long time coming, but finally the Blackberry got its hands on a usable web browser that doesn’t only serve to generate headaches. This browser actually feels like a real internet experience, featuring easy magnification and multiple tabs.

There’s plenty more to know about the new operating system, but these are by-far the coolest. If you lost or broke your phone and do not want to pay retail for a replacement, consider a refurbished Smart Phone. Otherwise, if you’re looking to upgrade to a newer model, or just have unused phones lying around your house, trade them in for Cash at The BlueDot.

Sources: Blackberry

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